Typical Game of Dungeons and Dragons

A typical game of Dungeons and Dragons (or D&D) is hard to define, because what is typical is entirely based on who you are playing with. Each group of players and each DM (that would be the Dungeon Master, who controls the game) have their own house rules, styles, and personalities which shape how they play their game.

Dungeons and Dragons is a role-playing fantasy game, in which there are about four to six players and a Dungeon Master, who controls the story, settings and enemies in the game. Each player has a character of a specific race and class (which is basically a skill set) with the attributes of each combined.

To battle with the DM, dice are used to determine success and failure, along with any bonuses a player can add from their skills. These dice range from four sided die to twenty sided.

Each group of players have a particular way they play their game. Some groups only play to hack and slash foes, and there is little more that goes on besides rolling the dice and battling with whatever the DM has in store for them.

Some focus more on the role-playing element and develop their characters personalities, back-stories and relationships with the others in their party.

Others are tactical, planning elaborate schemes against what they presume will be in store for them (although, in general, metagaming is frowned upon – that would be trying to plan for something you know is coming, but your character, in game, would not).

Another factor that is to be considered when trying to define the typical game of Dungeons and Dragons is how seriously the players take the game. At most games of D&D you will likely find a large amount of snacks, and half the time people will go off topic to discuss something else. This is because D&D is a social game, and, in general, most people who play together are friends.

Other groups take the game more seriously, and no talk outside of the game is permitted. Some people even go a step farther and dress the part, using blunted weapons to act out what they are doing (this is referred to as LARPing).

What makes a typical game of D&D is the rules. The rules dictated by the numerous reference guides on sale (also depending on what version of the game you are playing, 4.0, 3.5 etc.) are what make D&D what it is. Despite how a group may play, what they are playing remains the same.